HOUSING · I&T Summit opens today (with photos)
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Under the HOUSING · I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau has organised a series of events, including today's international symposium, a construction robotics competition in May, and a secondary school housing construction robotics design competition in September to foster the development of the construction technology industry.
In her welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony this morning, the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, said, "We are delighted to bring together experts and industry leaders from around the world to explore how innovative technology can drive sustainable housing construction and development. We have visited other foreign cities and countries like Singapore, Portugal, Spain and France in the past few years and I am very excited to see them visiting Hong Kong this time. Some of them will also join our visit on November 6 to Zhuhai to see the factories and innovative construction base in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Hong Kong will continue to play the roles of a 'super connector' and 'super value-adder' to foster cross-regional collaboration, building safer, more livable, and quality homes for our people."
This was followed by speeches by Deputy Director General of the Department of Standard and Norms of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Mr Wu Luyang and the Deputy Director of Housing (Development & Construction), Mr Daniel Leung, on strengthening exchanges and co-operation to jointly build an upgraded version of China construction and "MiTech - A Paradigm Shift in Smart Public Housing Construction" respectively. Other speakers included the Minister of Housing and Local Government of Malaysia, Mr Nga Kor Ming; Assistant Professor of the Business School of the University of Hong Kong Professor Michael Wong; the Global Digital Services Leader of Arup of the United Kingdom, Dr Will Cavendish; Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Bouygues Construction Group Mr Pierre-Éric Saint-André; the Senior Vice President of AECOM Global Group Limited of Australia, Mr Marc Colella; Professor of Department of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University Professor Lu Xinzheng; Professor of the University of Melbourne of Australia Professor Nelson Lam; Senior Lecturer of the National University of Singapore Dr Du Hongjian; the Chief Executive Officer of the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute, Mr Andy Fung, and representatives of different institutions and government departments in Hong Kong.
The Summit sessions this morning, under the theme "Smart · Housing", brought together global perspectives and local experiences to discuss shaping the future of housing and urban development. The afternoon sessions, focusing on "Smart · Innovation", explored how intelligent innovations like AI, component-based construction, and advanced materials are transforming the construction and real estate industries.
During the Summit, Ms Ho and other guests visited the intelligent technology exhibition area to interact with participants and learn about the active research and developments in innovative technology by tech companies. They also visited the Better Housing Exhibition on display at the Sham Mong Road Playground. This mobile exhibition is organised and instructed by the Centre of Science and Technology Industrial Development of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), technically supported by the smart low-carbon construction technology innovation centre and whole-house smart key laboratory of the MOHURD, and has been exhibited in different places including Beijing, Urumqi, Guilin and Shenzhen. This exhibition serves to inspire both the private and public housing around the world to consider new possibilities for future living.
Tomorrow morning's sessions will focus on "Smart · Community", exploring smart cities and integrating technology into housing management. The Permanent Secretary for Housing/Director of Housing, Miss Charmaine Lee, will deliver the opening remarks. Speakers will include the Chief Executive Officer of Housing and Development Board of Singapore, Mr Tan Meng Dui; the General Manager of China Merchants Property Digital Technology (Shenzhen) Co Ltd, Mr Shou Quan; the Director of Public Housing Redevelopment Department of Seoul Housing and Urban Development Corp, Mr Oh Sang Wook; GIS Specialist of SH Urban Research Institute of South Korea Dr Hwang Jong A; the Chair Professor (Digital Construction) and Head of the Department of Real Estate and Construction of Faculty of Architecture of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Wilson Lu; Professor of ETH Zurich Professor Benjamin Dillenburger; and the Associate Head and Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Jack Cheng. The afternoon sessions, under the theme "Smart • Living", will examine how various innovative technologies enhance site safety and operational efficiency. Speakers will include the Deputy Director of Housing (Estate Management), Mr Michael Hong; the Managing Director of Apply Structure Ltd of the United Kingdom, Mr Anthony Pearce; the General Manager of Building Construction Department of China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited, Mr Sunny Au; the Chairperson of Construction Industry Safety and Health Steering Committee of the Occupational Safety and Health Council, Professor Ada Fung; the Chairman of the Construction Industry Council, Professor Thomas Ho; and the General Manager of Lighthouse Inno-Lab Limited, Mr Eddie Ho.
To capitalise on Hong Kong's distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, and its prime location linking the GBA, the Housing Bureau and the HA have arranged for over 50 participants, including participants from Portugal, Australia, the United Kingdom, Cambodia, Macao and Hong Kong to visit Zhuhai on the third day of the Summit (November 6) for site visits to a smart factory. They will tour advanced production lines featuring high automation and robotics applications, gaining insights into the production processes for both concrete and steel-structured Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), alongside high-quality supervision and inspections. The itinerary also includes visits to an outdoor product exhibition hall and a construction technology pavilion, allowing participants to experience firsthand how advanced construction technology and MiC are shaping the future of housing. A sharing session will be held before concluding the visit to facilitate experience exchanges between participants and factory representatives, jointly exploring future directions for housing construction technology.
On the fourth day (November 7) of the Summit, over 60 participants will conduct site visits in Hong Kong. They will first visit the Light Public Housing (LPH) site of the Housing Bureau at Olympic Avenue, Kai Tak, and Choi Hing Road LPH, Ngau Tau Kok, to understand how the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government employs standardised, simple designs and steel-structured MiC technology to build LPH swiftly, addressing the needs of families urgently requiring improved living environments. The project team will conduct demonstrations of modern construction technologies, including the smart inspection, logistics, and installation monitoring system for MiC (collectively known as the MiC Trio), developed in collaboration with the iLab of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Hong Kong, allowing participants to learn about the latest achievements in public housing developments and gain insights into the latest technologies such as MiC and 4S Smart Site Safety System.
Through two days of guided tours and interactive Q&A sessions, participants from around the world will gain a deeper understanding of various innovative construction methods. These new technology and solutions hold the potential to assist participants in tackling housing problems in their respective countries and cities. The Summit aims to maintain close exchanges and to create greater mutual benefits for all parties involved.
Hong Kong has long played a pivotal role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" in driving technological innovation in the industry. The HOUSING · I&T Summit offers a valuable platform to foster in-depth technical exchanges within the industry locally and internationally, jointly exploring solutions to housing challenges. Participants can also witness the practical applications of smart construction technologies firsthand. By promoting cross-regional collaboration, the Summit marks a significant step in consolidating Hong Kong's position as a hub in the field of housing technology. It aims to attract more innovative practical experience, injecting fresh ideas and momentum into the future development of housing in Hong Kong, and accelerating the pace of building better homes for the public.
Details of the Summit are available on the thematic website: housinginnotech.hk/summit.
Ends/Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Issued at HKT 13:20
Issued at HKT 13:20
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